


Team Voltron Files

by elfrooted, OpulenceInLife



Series: Superhero AU [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adopted Hunk, Allura and Lance are Siblings, Altean Lance (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Atlantis, Backstory, Gen, Hunk gets bullied, Kinda, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Samoan Hunk (Voltron), hunk angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-25 17:29:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12040752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elfrooted/pseuds/elfrooted, https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpulenceInLife/pseuds/OpulenceInLife
Summary: The backstories of Team Voltron from the Altea Company.Chapter 1: LanceChapter 2: AlluraChapter 3: Hunk





	1. Lance

**Author's Note:**

> if you'd like a little background on the actual au before reading, find it at
> 
> http://quitethemessbian.tumblr.com/post/161512680836/voltron-superheroau-worked-on-with-demosiac-on

Name: Lance (Atlantian name is a well-kept secret)

Alias: Maelstrom

Powers: Control over ice and water, shapeshifting to an extent

 

Fishermen loved to tell tales. They’d weave stories of monstrous sea creatures and fantastical treasures that could feed a family for decades to come. One of the most famous stories was Atlantis, a lost kingdom under the sea where mermaids roamed and ruled in peace and harmony. If only they knew their stories were true.

 

On a hot summer night in late July, one of the largest storms ever on the Eastern seaboard was recorded. Sailors docked and tied down everything in their ships, hoping they wouldn’t lose their lives to whatever had made the seas thrash like a cornered wild animal. Underneath the sea, however, the creatures were celebrating. In the kingdom of Atlantis, the merfolk revelled in their pearl paved streets. They were exulting the birth of the second prince, celebrating the fact that they would have a large royal family.  
Song flooded through the busy streets, filling every shop and house and spilling from the open balconies high above. Any other day, the setting of the sun would indicate the quieting of the kingdom for the night, but tonight it was alive with gleeful harmonies and glowing shades of pinks, purples, teals, and greens. The spiraling coral buildings that reached up towards the ocean surface were painted in such light, golden accents twinkling whimsically. Among the song was bouts of laughter and chatter, only increasing in intensity the denser the crowd got.

In the palace, the queen held her new son to her chest, tears in her eyes as she cooed to him lovingly, so happy to have another child. The baby’s brother watched, giggling softly as the boy’s big blue eyes squinted and blinked at him. “Papa,” He turned towards his father, who glanced down at him and smiled, “Will Lance be the king when he grows up?” His father smiled, “We’ll see, Miguel.” Miguel gave a relieved breath. Despite being young, he knew he could never be king. Since power dilutes in each child had, Lance should’ve been slightly weaker than Miguel, but Miguel was born without any powers at all, so Lance had immense amounts of power, even now in his tiny, pudgy body. The storm raged on overhead as Lance started to cry.

 

“Lance, wait up!” Miguel laughed, chasing after his younger brother who was using his powerful royal blue tail to slowly swim away from his brother. Lance only laughed, “You gotta catch me!” He started urging the water to push back his older brother, giggling as he struggled against the current. “Hey! Stop it!” Miguel protested, now lagging especially behind. “Oops, sorry Miguel.” Lance swam towards him, stopping the water. “Are you okay, big brother?”  
“I’m fine, but be more careful, okay?”  
“Okay, big brother.”

 

“I wanna go outside!” The six storm prince protested, pointing to the calm waters out the window. His tutor sighed, “If you go now, you’ll have extra work tomorrow…”  
“Deal! Goodbye!” He jumped up and swam out the window, laughing happily. He went to the gardens first to visit his little sisters and his mother.  
The gardens were decadent coral reefs, placed behind the mass of the castle to provide the royal family with some much needed privacy. Fine white sand pathways lined with iridescent stones and brightly colored corals and sponges that practically screamed luxury. It was teeming with life, angelfish and tangs swimming through the labyrinth of burrows in the corals as turtles swam leisurely overhead. Lance swam carefully above the prickly urchins and ran his scaled knuckles along the smooth side of a dolphin pup that passed by him.

“Mama!” He called, rushing up to hug the queen, careful of her pregnant belly. The little girls currently chasing each other through a kelp forest stopped and swam to meet their brother, each hugging a different part of his body and chatting excitedly. He smiled, chatting with them as their mother watched, smiling happily. “How are the twins?” He asked her, gently patting her stomach. “I think they’re alright, my dear. Hopefully they’ll be born after your seventh storm day. Now, go play.” She smiled and returned to her bench, starting to sing quietly. The children clinging to Lance perked up and swam over to listen, leaving him smiling happily as he watched his family.  
Lance headed towards the city, greeting his friends and the citizens he’d rule over one day. He smiled politely, chatting happily, and joking around like it was any other day. Soon, he told them that he needed to go and headed towards the edge of town to start his exploring. Despite being the crown prince, as evidenced by the circlet in his hair, he was still only a child, and he loved to act as such. He explored the ruins beyond the city in his free time, finding cool rocks, pretty shells, and interesting human garbage to bring back to his family and show off.

Lance picked up an iridescent pink shell, that swirled into a tight spiral and has spikes all along it’s ridges. He ran his fingers along the smooth side of it, the side that curled inwards. It shimmered slightly as he angled it towards the sun, the gills along his neck fluttering as he inhaled sharply.  
Sunlight filtered through the translucent blue webbing between his fingers, casting a soft blue hue over the porous rocks and colorful coral he held onto. His claws were sunken into one of the softer rock walls, locked in place so as to keep him from sinking into the ravine that he was currently perched on the wall of.  
He hummed softly as he tucked the shell into the woven seaweed pouch that he’d tied around his waist. His voice drifted through the currents, inexperienced yet practiced and still he could hear the distant clicking of a dolphin pod he had begun to attract.

It was quiet, away from the coral reefs where his kingdom rested and near the kelp forest that beckoned him from the other side of the ravine. To many others, including the elders that lived on the kingdom’s edge, the ravine that curled around the south side of the border was cursed -- stories of the monstrous Leviathans that once dictated the ocean telling that they now lived at bottom of the cracks, having fled to the darkest, coldest depths of the sea after their queen was defeated.

The ravine was deep and wide, the other side of it barely visible during the ocean’s clearest times. It created the illusion of the reef suddenly dropping and opening off into nothing but empty ocean.

Lance turned to look at it, watching the sunbeams that penetrated through the surface dance along the ever-moving currents before disappearing into the inky black of the deep. His tail flicked before curling around one of his legs tightly. He stared down into it, making his heart drop, but curiosity also bubbled in his chest. He had never reached the kelp forest, one of his siblings always called him back home or he’d get scared before he got to swim past the drop off.

This seemed to be one of those moments, the six-storm prince feeling fear’s cold hand press against his chest and he was quick to push off against the rocks and dash up to the safety of the reef. The fine sand was soft under his hands and feet, and small gobies swam out from their homes to welcome him back.

Lance could feel his rapid heartbeat at his pulse, his gills flaring as he panted. He felt the fish brush across his arms, and they scurried off as he pushed off the ground, starting his swim back towards the kingdom.

He took his time, even stopping a few times to examine an angelfish or a crab that would crawl away into an opening in the corals. His hand skimmed across the side of a sunfish just as a quiet rumble shook the ground, barely noticeable. They were common near the ravine, and Lance just glanced in its direction before brushing it off and returning to his devices.

A second, stronger quake that caused the fish swimming comfortably around him to dart fearfully into their homes had Lance on alert. He focused on the currents flowing around him, and the ocean felt agitated. The currents were shaking, and Lance felt the fear of unfamiliarity tighten around his chest.

Wrong. Wrong, fear, wrong wrong wrong. Unsafe, danger danger, leave. Flee, swim finling, swim!

The ocean cried to him, an echo in his mind unlike anything he’d heard before. The crashing of the waves, the bellowing of a whale, the harsh crack of thunder and rush of wind that accompanied a hurricane, all yelling to him one thing. A crucial warning.

Lance raced back towards his city, heart hammering in fear and exertion. His legs and tail burned from swimming, his chest so tight it felt has if his lungs would burst. The quakes continued, coming in shorter intervals and growing stronger with every kick of the prince’s legs. He weaved around rock formations, his tail snapping with each sharp turn. He yelled out with each graze of his arms and tails along the sharp corals, long and shallow rips in his skin leaking midnight blue into the water.

The dense reef cleared, revealing the giant dual mouthed cavern that the palace and noble houses resided in. And Lance halted, his eyes stinging at the sight that once brought so much joy to his heart.

A strange metal pillar crashed into the roof of the cavern, part of it already collapsed onto the innocents below. It was huge, the insignia on the side larger than the face of the moon. Dust bellowed out from the wreckage, clouding the waters and turning them from clear blue to a murky gray. Lance watched as the pillar cranked back up to collide with the remainder of the roof, and Lance swam.

He raced into the ruined city, crying out in desperation for everyone he could think of. He heard people cry and scream, sounds that seemed like something out of the stories the elders told him. It was too much, too nightmarish. Atlantis was the very epitome of perseverance, it had stood against the test of time and the Leviathan War, against rebellions and storms unlike any Atlantian had ever seen.

And yet, here he was, narrowly avoiding collapsing buildings and listening to the haunting cries for help of his people.

“Mami!” He cried out, his voice drowned by the destruction around him. The palace had to survive, it was one of the oldest structures in the kingdom, one that had remained standing after the rest of the city laid in ruins so many times before. It would be fine, his family would be fine, and they would be able to rebuild. Right?

His desperation and hope was in vain, as currents that were dictated by the crashing of buildings and quaking below just moments ago suddenly swept up around him. He felt pressure all around himself, as if a giant invisible hand suddenly grabbed a hold of him. He knew what it was simply by the emotion that washed over him as he was tugged away in the opposite direction. He could feel the ocean’s empathy and grief as he started to thrash in its hold.

“No! Let me go! They’re still alive, let me get to them!” He yelled, voice harsh and angry even as it cracked with a sob. All he got in response was a feeling of sorrow, and he kept yelling and trying to swim away as the ruins of the city zipped past him. He was moving too fast to properly see anything, the streams of white bubbles produced by the friction of him being pulled blinding him.

Rest, prince.

The ocean spoke to him again, much softer, delicate than the last time, as if it was calming a scared animal. Exhaustion suddenly blanketed over him, his movements stilling as he felt too tired to keep resisting. He tried to stay awake out of spite, but his eyelids felt like lead and before he knew it, the fuzzy warmth of slumber overtook him.

 

Lance woke up and immediately started to choke. He tried to take gulps of water, but found only heat and dry air surrounding him. He peeled his head up from the sand and stared at the blue sky in wonder before remembering that he couldn’t breathe and scrambling to get back to the ocean on wobbly legs. The ocean welcomed him and whispered in his ear, telling him how to change his body so that he’d be able to survive. Lance held his breath and poked his head above the water, treading water with newly unwebbed feet. He took one breath in, one breath out, another breath in, another out. He gasped in relief that he could breathe again and swam towards the shore, feeling clunky and awkward in his home until he made it onto the sand again. He coughed slightly, wondering what was going on before remembering what had happened.

He started to cry. He felt like a baby, not a future king. He laughed with a surprising amount of bitterness for a six storm. ‘King of what?’ He thought, glancing longingly at the ocean, which whispered its condolences and sorrows in his ear. He sobbed, removing the circlet from his hair and staring at the blue jewel that he’d picked out himself. His family… his people. They were all dead. He was the last of his kind. He’d never see his sisters again. He’d never see Miguel again. The twins… oh, the twins. They’d never be welcomed into the ocean. Tears ran down his cheeks, the teardrop gem in his circlet mocking him. He cried harder, shaking and shivering as he buried his head in his knees. He was crying so hard that he didn’t hear the voices.

The redhead turned toward his partner, “Alfor, do you hear crying?” The man glanced up, “Coran, don’t be-” He hesitated, now hearing it too. “Let’s investigate!” Coran nodded, “It sounds like a child, what if they’re hurt!” He tugged his lover up from the beach towel and led him in the direction of the cries. Both men stood shocked when they found the source. They stared at the little boy dressed in extravagant flowing robes and golden armbands with blue jewels set in them. Alfor stepped forward, but Coran tugged him back, pointing at the blue scales on the child’s shoulders. His eyes widened as he watched Coran step forward slowly, “Hey, are you hurt?” He asked gently, kneeling a good distance away from the kid.

Lance jumped, staring at the human with vibrant orange hair. “Who are you? Don’t hurt me!” He put his hands up, having heard horrible stories about humans all his life. “Woah woah, don’t worry. I won’t hurt you. Are you in trouble? Where did you come from?” The boy sniffled, “I am the crown prince of the Atlantians.” He whispered, trying to feel grounded from the statement. “My name is Lance. My family is dead. My people are dead.” He said, and the man gaped at him. “The earthquake, Alfor.” He turned to his lover, who was already on the phone. “Lance, my name is Coran, and that is my boyfriend, Alfor. Would you like to come with us? We can take care of you. We’ll protect you.” He whispered, slowly holding out a hand. Lance turned his head away, looking to the ocean for guidance. It told him to trust the man, sensing that he had no ill will. Lance glanced back down at the circlet in his hands, before placing it back in his hair and taking Coran’s hand.

“Allura! Zarkon! Come here!” Alfor called as they arrived in the living quarters of the Altea building. On the way there, Coran had explained to Lance that Altea was Alfor’s company that worked in defense with many leaders around the world, building weapons and training soldiers. They also had a special department that dealt with people like Lance, who weren’t like everyone else. So far they only had two people, Alfor and his daughter, Allura, who skipped in beside a large, imposing man, with the same strange emblem on his arm that Lance had seen on the strange metal contraption destroying his city.

Fury welled within him and he broke away from Coran, rushing towards him, “YOU! You destroyed my city! You wear its mark! You’re a monster! You killed my family! Murdered them!” He roared, ice creeping across the floor from his feet. Alfor gave the man a suspicious gaze, “Zarkon, is this true?” Zarkon shook his head, “No, you don’t understand. I was sailing with my crew, when the men stopped working and jumped overboard, screaming and sobbing. They heard some mysterious song and immediately jumped to their doom, crying out for their wives and children.” Lance scowled, “That is a family song, meant for pregnant women. Your men were weak.” He hissed, jabbing a finger at Zarkon’s stomach and feeling satisfied when the man jumped back from his freezing touch. “They were too powerful!” He protested to Alfor and Coran, who looked shocked and horrified. “We were a peaceful society! No need for war or disagreement!” Lance shouted back, the ice at his feet suddenly spiking up and forming a barrier around him. “See!” Zarkon pointed wildly at him, like he was the monster here. “Lance, calm down. Please.” Coran whispered, now shielding the little girl from him. Lance saw the fear on their faces and frowned, relaxing. “My office. Now.” Alfor spat at Zarkon, brushing past him.

Lance crumpled to the ground after Zarkon left, the ice around him shattering. Coran and the little girl rushed over to catch him. Coran whispered assurances as the little girl stared at him with big blue eyes not unlike Lance’s. “Coran?” She asked, glancing up at him, “Who is this?”  
“His name is Lance, and he’s going to stay with us for a long time.”


	2. Allura

Name: Allura Excalia Whyminelda Kerajaan

  
Alias: Enchantress

  
Powers: Perception Manipulation

  
The tiny girl let out a loud giggle as she tossed a doll across the room, onto the table where her father was meeting with the top defense officials of the United States. Some of the officials laughed and cooed at her, while some scoffed. Her father chuckled quietly, “Excuse me.” He smiled, standing and going to pick up the toddler, “You’ve interrupted my meeting, Allura, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” She frowned at the words, only understanding the tone. He held her in his arms as he left the room, going to where his lovely wife was working on one of her projects. “Could you take care of her, love?” He asked gently. “Of course. Back to your meeting, Alfor.” She grinned, taking the little girl and laughing when she tugged at her long white hair. “Aren’t you something.” She hummed, setting her inside the nearby playpen. She just babbled at her, clapping her hands happily as she watched her father’s lover search for the tools that were right in front of her. She just couldn’t see them.

Allura screamed when she woke up from her horrible nightmare. She couldn’t grasp at the memory of whatever had terrified her as she tried to keep calm and keep from crying out for her father. She sniffled, aching for the comfort of her mother brushing her stark white hair behind her ear. A tiny sob forced its way out of her chest at the thought of her mother, who she’d never see again. Being seven sucked when you had to attend a funeral for your mother when there wasn’t even a body to try and say goodbye to. A week ago, her biggest concern was not messing with daddy’s meetings. Now, she ached for when he’d playfully scold her. “Why’d you leave us?” She asked the empty room. “I’m sorry, my flower.” Her mother’s voice answered her, the woman now sitting beside her. Allura gasped and jumped away, staring at her as a painful throbbing pushed at her temples. She pressed on, “Are you a ghost?”  
“No, my darling. I’m merely a change in your perception. That is your power. Your father can calm a room of angry warmongers. I could tell what was bothering every single one of them. And you, my darling Allura, can help them face their issues.” She smiled, stroking her hair back behind her ear. Allura nearly sobbed again at the familiar sensation of comfort. “I love you, Mother.” She whispered. “I love you too, my darling Allura.” She whispered as Allura’s eyes slipped closed and she fell into a deeper, peaceful sleep.

Allura gazed on in slight horror and amazement as the tiny boy growled and jabbed at Zarkon, her father’s second most trusted ally. They started to argue and Allura gaped at the razor sharp spikes that formed around the boy, as if to protect him. She watched as Zarkon and her father left and rushed over with Coran who cradled the boy gently. She stared at him, “Coran?” She asked, glancing up at him, “Who is this?”  
“His name is Lance, and he’s going to stay with us for a long time.”  
Over the course of a few days, Allura learned that Lance wasn’t a human, but he wasn’t so different from her. They liked a lot of the same things, exploring parts of the building together and finding interesting things behind couches and inside closets. They played with Allura’s toys together, playing dress up in the princess gowns and various costumes she owned and creating elaborate imagined stories for the dolls in the makeshift playset town.  
They’d been playing in the foyer in front of her father’s office, Lance pretending to be a princess in danger and Allura going to come to his rescue, when the doors burst open and Zarkon stormed out, growling. She shied away from the man, her hands immediately come up to protect and hold back Lance. She’d never trusted Zarkon. She’d never liked how his eyes lingered too long on her mother and hardened slightly when looking at her father and Coran. She’d never liked him. She certainly wasn’t too keen on him when he whipped around and glared at the three of them, Alfor putting his hands on the children’s shoulders. “You’ll regret this, Alfor. I’ll make them regret it too.” He hissed, giving each of the children a bone chilling leer. “Leave.” Alfor ordered, his grip on the kids tightening. Zarkon sneered one last time before letting the door slide shut. Alfor sighed and kneeled to hug them. “I’m glad you’re alright.” He hummed, smiling when the two children wrapped their arms around his neck. “Is Zarkon mad at you, Father?”  
“Yes, darling, but I swear I’ll never let him hurt you. Either of you.”

 

Allura and Lance were in the middle of one of their gossiping sessions, chatting about one of the tactician’s daughters, Nyma. Lance thought she was just pretty, but Allura seemed enamored with the way she’d snap at her mother and walk into the room like she owned the place. She wanted to ask her out, but she was shy, scared, and anxious. That’s why she needed her “little brother” to keep her grounded. True, they had their moments, like the vicious prank war of ‘05, but they genuinely cared about each other and wanted the best for each other. “So maybe she’ll ask you out on your birthday?” Twelve storm Lance drawled, currently painting Allura’s nails a pretty pink that she’d picked out. “I hope so. But maybe she won’t even-” She was interrupted by a siren going off. The pair ignored it, figuring it was a test run of the alarm, but then Coran threw the door open, looking incredibly distressed. “Come with me.”  
The pair hopped up from Allura’s bed and followed Coran to the infirmary. “What’s going on?” Lance asked, agitated by the piercing siren noise. Coran sighed quietly, leading them into one of the rooms before locking the door. “Alfor has been attacked.” He mumbled, clenching his shaking fists in attempts to still them. Allura froze, blue eyes going wide with shock and disbelief, “No…” She whispered. Lance took in a sharp breath as he reached to hold her hand, “Lura? Lura, are you physically alright?” He asked, but she didn’t seem to hear him. Blood roared in her ears as tears welled in her eyes. “Will he be okay?” She asked Coran, who shook his head slowly. A numbness spread from her chest, taking over her entire body as she slowly sank to the floor, unable to hear Lance’s concern or Coran’s empathy and grief over the high pitched ringing in her ears. She shook her head slowly, murmuring softly, “Please don’t leave me too…”

 

Allura swallowed hard, looking in the mirror. “I’m too young for this.” She mumbled. “I think you’re the perfect person for the job, Lura.” Lance offered, coming up behind her to hug her. She turned and hugged him tightly, “I hope I’ll do well…” She mumbled before laughing. “Most girls get a sweet sixteen party. Instead, I get one of the most powerful agencies in the country. Lucky me.” She smiled bitterly. “Coran will be there to help you. He won’t leave you.” Her younger brother beamed, hugging her close. “You’re gonna go a great job. You’re smart and confident, and one of the most talented people I know.” He nodded, patting her shoulder. “Alright, Lance. Let’s go.” She gave herself a once over in the mirror before reaching out to fix Lance’s bowtie, then heading for the door.

Allura’s smile did not reflect her thoughts. She was probably halfway through writing her will in case she died of embarrassment by tripping in front of dozens of important officials that she’d have to work with in the future. She laughed and introduced herself to droves of people, whose names and faces blended together, all while trying not to reveal like as much of a mess as she felt. She approached the head of a weaponized sub manufacturing company, smiling slightly. “You’re a little young for this job, don’t you think?” He asked her, his eyes raking over her in a way that made her feel uncomfortable.”Today is my sixteenth birthday, but I’m quite mature for my age.” She said, attempting to remain cordial as she tugged at her blazer slightly. “I’d agree. Happy birthday.” He gave her a smile that radiated an unpleasant feeling. “Excuse me?” She asked, slightly shocked by his word choice. “I said happy birthday?” He raised an eyebrow, slightly confused. “The part before that.” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Oh, I only agreed that you look mature for your age,” He nodded slowly, “You’re quite beautiful for your age, Ms. Allura.” He smirked, sidling closer to her. She shuddered and forced down the gag threatening to escape, “Leave.” She whispered, unable to keep the tremor from her voice. But she wasn’t afraid. She was enraged. How dare this humanoid slug attempt to demean her to just a beautiful face? “Excuse me?” He asked with a laugh. “Leave!” She repeated, louder. “Leave before you’re haunted by the worst possible things I could think off, you disgusting waste of human flesh. I am 16! Speak to me like that again and see how you end up!” She raved, attracting the attention of everyone at the party. Lance wrinkled his nose from where he stood with Coran, coming over as the man tried to defend his actions. “Are you bothering my sister?” He growled, a vice like grip coming down on the man’s shoulder. The man gasped at the extreme cold radiating off his hand, “I’m sorry, please let me go, don’t hurt me.” He whispered, shaking his head and started to shiver as ice crept along his suit jacket steadily. “Don’t. Come. Back.” Allura whispered, before grabbing him from Lance and shoving him to the door. She turned on her heel and marched away to the front of the room, taking the microphone.

“After that sickening display, I have something to say. If any of you are going to demean me because I’m ‘just a little girl’, you may as well leave now. I am not just a little girl. I hold more power than any of you could hope to even grasp for. I am a powerful woman and I will not be reduced to a child that creeps can leer at and jeer at and act almighty over. I am in charge now. This is my company now. I may not be exactly like my father, but I will do my best. And I won’t tolerate being pushed aside because of my age or gender.” She spoke with passion, gripping the podium in front of her. When she finished, she turned off the microphone and huffed quietly. Then a single pair of hands started to clap for her. Then another. Then the whole room was applauding, cheering for her breaking boundaries and showing her true leadership prowess. Lance came over, still clapping. “Told you that you’ll do great.”

“I know.”


	3. Hunk

Name: Malosi “Hunk” Garrett

Alias: Oobleck

Powers: Can manipulate the bonds between atoms

 

“Tina! Look!” Malosi giggled as he showed his mother the tiny toy car that he and his matua had built together. “Ooh, that’s very good, Malosi.” She smiled brightly, leaning down to kiss his cheek as she turned away from the whiteboard she was writing on. “What are you doing, tina?” He asked curiously, his tiny five year old brain attempting to comprehend the complicated formulas his mother had been writing. “I’m working on a project. After I figure this out, Matua is gonna build the machine that’ll help me run my model.” She explained, picking up her son. “I wanna be just like you when I grow up! Both of you!” He grinned, hanging onto her. “I bet you will. You’ll do greater things than either of us ever could,” She hummed, “My little Malosi.”

 

“What a hunk,” A girl jeered, bumping past Malosi. The boy who’d been lagging behind moved to knock him into him much harder, causing Malosi to lose his grip on his textbooks. He watched helplessly as they tumbled to the ground. “A useless hunk of lard, you mean,” The boy snickered, crossing his arms as Malosi bent to grab his books. Malosi exhaled, gathering his books up and reaching for the last when the girl kicked it away from him and slapped the books from his hand. “Hey!” A new voice shouted. A boy with unruly black hair rushed over and shoved the girl, “What are you doing?” He demanded, “Leave him alone!” He scolded, before turning and getting Malosi’s books for him. This new boy had a bandage on his cheek and eyes that would make a shark turn tail and hide, “What a bunch of jerks.” He scoffed, brushing some dirt off Malosi’s book before handing them back to him. “You alright, Hunk?”  
“My name isn’t Hu-” Malosi was interrupted by the boy, “No, it is now. Take what they throw at you and whip it back with a smile. Like a baseball!” He chirped. “Hunk.” Malosi repeated before smiling brightly, “Thanks… who are you?”  
“My name is Keith! I have to go because my dad is waiting for me, but hopefully I’ll see you soon!” Hunk grinned, watching as his new friend headed off the playground to a dusty black car.

The next day, Hunk was waiting for one of his moms to pick him up, and he was hoping he’d see his new friend, Keith, again. He had gone home and made some cookies with his tina and his younger sister, Merry. He had wanted to give some to Keith to thank him for helping out, but he couldn’t find the class he was in, and on the playground, Keith was nowhere to be found. This continued for a few days before the bullies started coming back.

And Keith was gone. 

 

“I’m so close. I can feel it.” Hunk whispered to himself. His lab assistant, Clyde, rolled his eyes slightly, “Hunk, I think you need to go to sleep.” Hunk waved him away as he stared at the pile of mush that had formerly been an apple. He was so close to altering the size of the bonds between the apple so that it could be transported to the pillar across the room in seconds. Clyde sighed, “Night, Hunk. Don’t hurt yourself.” He murmured, hanging up his lab coat and getting his winter coat. Hunk barely managed a goodbye as he zeroed in on his work. He was close, and he wouldn’t give up.

Nearly a month later of little sleep, communication, and an abundance Chinese takeout, Hunk had done it. He stared, slack jawed at the pristine apple now laying on its side on the pillar. He let loose a holler, jumping up as he got swept up in his joy. Clyde startled from his desk where he was typing a report, staring at his superior dancing like a child. His gaze then landed on the apple and he gasped, “Jesus christ! You did it, Hunk!” He was honestly amazed. Hunk was nearly in tears, sitting on the floor by the pillar with the apple on it. He’d done it.

Hunk took a deep breath, practicing a smile in the mirror. He felt strange without his headband on, but headbands and tuxedos don’t exactly go well together. He bit his lip, thinking of all the amazing scientific leaders and business moguls who were gathered to see him and his amazing invention. He’d show those bullies. He’d show everyone who doubted him, that he could be great. 

Hunk walked out onto the stage with a pleased smile, scanning the crowd and locking eyes with his family. His moms and his siblings. He smiled at his moms and his older sister, Arianna, who gave him an enthusiastic pair of thumbs up. He tried to pick out people in the crowd as he waited for the applause to stop, but then his gaze landed on a woman with rich chocolate skin and stark white hair, an odd combination. But the most interesting thing were her eyes. Even from this distance, Hunk could tell that they were blue and somehow, pink, like an exotic flower. But he had more important things to attend to. He smiled and began to speak.

Hunk stepped behind a changing screen, taking a deep breath before pulling on a safety suit. He stepped back out onto stage and took over from Clyde, who regaled the crowd with tales of Hunk working on his masterful creation. He smiled, “Now, I shall perform a demonstration. To show my confidence, I will test my invention on myself. I’ll transport myself to that sitting area over there. I shall see you on the other side. Of the stage, that is.” A few chuckles arose as Hunk approached what could either make or break him. He took one last look at his family, smiling before stepping inside and putting on his goggles and face mask. He gave Clyde the okay signal from inside and braced himself.

It felt strange. It felt like being nothing and everything at once. Hunk felt like he was going to be sick. But then, he was sitting on the couch of the sitting room. He started to smile before he heard a woman, no, his matua scream. He looked down at himself, realising that his legs seemed to be falling apart. Clyde started to scream too, rushing over but afraid to touch Hunk. “Hunk, can you hear me? Are you in pain?” Hunk opened his mouth to respond, but his mouth slid down to rest on his stomach. The crowd panicked and rushed for the exit. He saw Arianna looking at him, concerned and afraid for him, but she was dragged out by their tina. He watched with slight disbelief as he locked eyes with the only two people there. The woman with the eyes like exotic flowers and a man who could be her brother, with nearly glowing blue eyes. He looked down at his body and realised that he’d basically become a puddle on the couch and floor. Then, he fainted.

Hunk awoke in the hospital to Arianna pacing in front of his bed while a somewhat familiar man stood by the door, trying to calm her down. “Hey?” He croaked, his throat dry, but at least his mouth was attached to his mouth. Arianna jumped and rushed to his side, “Oh Malosi! I was so scared for you. It was terrifying! What were you thinking?!” She jumped into a worried ramble as she stroked her younger brother’s hair. He smiled a bit, “Sorry to have worried you, Ari. Where are matua and tina? And everyone else?” He asked, anxious to see the people he cared about most and the people that loved him right back. But Arianna’s face fell. “I, um, I don’t know how to say this…” She whispered, looking conflicted. “They don’t want to see you. They think you’re a failure because your invention failed and you got hurt because of it. They’re just… trashtalking and disrespecting you. Even the little ones have picked up on it. Matua didn’t even want to come see you in the hospital. Not once.” She whispered, tripping over a few words.

Hunk was shocked, but he was still hopeful that his family still loved him. But his thoughts were interrupted by the man coming over to him. “Hey, nice to meet you, my name is Lance.” He stuck out a hand. Hunk shook it weakly, still reeling from the revelation that his family didn’t believe in him at all anymore. “If you ever need an out, give us a call.” He slid a sleek business card out of his pocket and handed it to Hunk, who looked it over. It had a large white A with a phone number printed below it. He looked up to thank Lance, but he was already headed out the door. He brushed it off and set it on the nightstand next to his headband to continue talking with Arianna.

When Hunk got home, he realized what Arianna meant. He realized that Red, the youngest and newest addition to the family, really had picked up quickly. When Hunk walked in, bundled up in his coat, he started to yell at him, calling him the nasty names that his own mothers had called him. His matua walked in with such a cold look that Hunk wanted to hide away and never be seen again. She stared at him for a long time before giving a low sigh and walking away. Hunk took the hint and left, going back to his lab. He started feeling angry. How could his family just disown him like that! After being there for them for so many years! He picked up a beaker and threw it against the wall, only for the glass to stick against the wall, denying Hunk of the shatter he wanted. This only enraged him further and he tore apart his lab, leaving melted piles of goop in his wake. 

 

Hunk was falling apart, both literally and figuratively. He’d been abandoned by his family, had his grants and lab taken away, and he could barely figure out how to stay solid enough to grip the glass of water that he barely wanted to drink. He looked around his apartment with bleak eyes before those empty eyes landed on a sleek, black business card. He bit his lip, remembering Lance’s words. Needing an out? That sounded like exactly what Hunk needed. He picked up the card and dialed with shaky fingers. “Altea Corporations, nice to meet you, Mr. Garrett. I assume you need… someone to talk to.” A woman’s smooth voice answered him. “Um, yes, I… How did you know who I was?”  
“My name is Allura, and I know a great deal.”


End file.
